1. Technological Field
The present invention relates to a printing device and a printing method for carrying out a printing process on a printing medium, using printing matter such as ink.
2. Background Technology
Examples of printing devices provided with printing means for depositing printing matter on printing media are the devices disclosed in Patent Citations 1 and 2. The printing devices disclosed in Patent Citations 1 and 2 are large-format printing devices adapted to carry out printing processes on printing media of indefinite length (e.g., roll paper), and are provided with printing means having a print head that sprays ink as the printing matter. In the printing devices described above, a plurality of images are printed along the lengthwise direction of the printing medium, and cutoff lines (predetermined images) that extend in the width direction of the printing medium are printed between adjacent images neighboring one another in the lengthwise direction.
In a printing device, the printing process is sometimes carried out on the printing medium without having acquired length in the width direction of the medium. In cases where cutoff lines are printed on the medium in this state, there is a risk that ink that is intended to print the cutoff lines will instead be sprayed from the print head onto positions where the printing medium is not present. In such a case, there is a risk of the support member which supports the printing medium becoming soiled with ink sprayed from the print head, and hence of the printing medium which is supported by the support member becoming soiled as well.
Thus, according to the printing device disclosed in Patent Citation 1, receiving recessed sections are provided to the support member, at a plurality of positions along the width direction of the printing medium. Then, during printing of cutoff lines onto the printing medium, even if ink is sprayed onto positions where the printing medium is not present, the ink is received into the receiving recessed sections which have been provided to the support member. Because of this, soiling of the support member due to ink sprayed thereon during printing of cutoff lines onto the printing medium is minimized.    Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-105583 (Patent Citation 1) is an example of the related art.    Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-23759 (Patent Citation 2) is an example of the related art.